Annual company fair at which team members and their families enjoy a night of unlimited rides and free games, food and drinks.

Team members can rent bikes to ride and break up their day with a workout or to get to nearby shops and restaurants.

3 o'clock dance party to encourage team members to cut loose for a bit.

Take it from the top

By Crain Content Studio

As the leader of one of Michigan's coolest and fastest-growing workplaces, United Shore President/CEO Mat Ishbia is one of the nation's best when it comes to developing a flagship company that serves as a model for cultural and business excellence. Mat shared some thoughts with us on a few topics that have positioned United Shore as one of the top workplaces in the country.

On team and culture…

The team with the best players usually wins. We recruit the best people to join the company, coach them up with a lot of training so they can be the best version of themselves, and then treat them so well that they hopefully never want to leave.

On United Shore's 'Firm 40' philosophy…

It's our way of saying come in and grind for eight hours a day, and then get out of here and go be with your family and friends. Our team members are always going to have their evenings and weekends. Sure, people can work 60 to 70 hours in a week, but that's not sustainable long-term. If you work over 60 hours in a week, you're going to get burned out at some point.

On growth opportunities…

Work ethic and attitude drive success more than knowledge or talent. We coach peoples' technical skills, train them on being a leader and then promote from within. I don't need to go out and make headline-grabbing hires for leadership positions because we have talented people here who naturally grow into those roles. I don't care about an outsider's background or credentials, I care about what someone does here (at United Shore).

On finding and retaining talent…

Perks and amenities are popular and make for a memorable experience, but companies have to deliver on "real" things as well. People stay at companies that treat them right, develop them and give them an opportunity to advance their career. Putting greens, basketball courts and dance parties help make a fun culture, but people stay at companies because they can grow and take their careers to the next level.

On his biggest pet peeve as a leader…

If two people are walking toward each other in a hallway and they don't look up at each other, don't smile and don't say hello. I can't stand that. Just be friendly to people. That's what we do here.

On fully embracing employees…

You have to get to know your people. Learn from them. Gain a better understanding of their "why" for working at your company and then deliver that. I want United Shore to be more than a job, more than a place to work. I want our people to feel happy, fulfilled and part of a family coming here every day.

And the best is yet to come…

Next summer, United Shore is moving its headquarters to a 600,000-square foot building and 60-acre campus in Pontiac. And more space comes with better perks:

• Starbucks with indoor/outdoor cafe, wired with Wi-Fi

• Full-size indoor basketball court, plus Zumba and yoga

• Large fitness center with full-size locker rooms

• Massage rooms and full-time massage therapist

• Outdoor volleyball court

• Indoor/outdoor putting greens

• Full-service food court

• Outdoor dining patio

• Game room, featuring arcade games, pool and Ping-Pong

• Outdoor sunken amphitheater

• Convenience store

• Production studio for filming, recording and editing

• Primary care doctors office

• Bicycle-sharing program with bike and jogging paths

• Escape room

Get Free Newsletters

Make sure you don't miss a thing by subscribing to our newsletters.

Email Address

Join Today

With a Crain’s Detroit Membership you get exclusive access, insights and experiences to help you succeed in business.